Gate or valve operating system



.I March 1 1927. 1,619,003

G. R. STEERE GATE 0R VALVE QPERATING SYSTEM Filed Feb.16,` 1925 z sheets-sheet 1 num/dom izyjeece .3 0 0, 9.. l 6, l E R E E T .s .R G.

V*March 'l I, 1927.

GATE OR VALVE OPERATING SYSTEM Filed Fable. 1925 l 2 sheets-Sheet 2 gmfvnffofo.-

Patented AMar. 1, 1927.

n .entren fs TATES @sones n. sirenas, 0F nn'rnorr, MICHIGAN, Assienon TO STEER LEINGINEERlNGr COEPANY, OF DETROIT, IVICHIGAN, .A CRORATQON OF IMICHIGAN.

GATE OR VALVE OPERATNG SYSTEM.

Application led February Apparatus for the commercial generation or distribution of gas, includes control valves or gates which mustbe opened and closed periodically, and in the operation et water generating apparatus the several valvesand blast gates are necessarily operated in certain sequence and timed relation to give the desired cycle of ope `ation. lt is the common prz'ictice to etiect such valve o eration b'Y h draulicall ooerated means the time and sequence of delivery ot water pres-sine to such means being regulated by suitable manually operable \wi tei1nessi'i1e control valves. SuchV hydraulic control necessitates the installation ot a. water pump or the lile tor supplying water under pressure `which water is discharged upon each operatirni4 and becomes waste.

The present invention Y contemplates the more e'tlicient, posit-iveJ` and rapid `timed operation of a valve or gate, or a series thereof7 in Oas manutacture'and distribution, by' combining steam and' hydraulically operated-means, whereby steam at substantially boiler pressure is made avail-able 't hydraulically operating such valves or gates and the necessity tor a water pump is obviated, with consequent. saving in both steam Aand water and expense in installation. A further object ot the present inventionv is the provision ot certain other new` and Auseful features lin the construction, .arrangement and combination oi elements, hereinafter more fully set forth.

.Vith the above'and other ends in view.A the. invention consists in. the matters hereinatter set jt'orth and more particularly pointed out in thevappended claims, reiterence v being had to the accompanying drawing in which- Y Figure l is a diagramn'iatic view ot a co..-

trol system as applied to a water-gas generating apparatus, and is illustrative ot an application ot' the present invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional diagramina-tic view illustrative ot means embodying the invention for hydraulic operation of a valve or gate; and

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that ot Fig. 2 and illustrating a modiieation of the conH struction.

As indicated in Fig. usual generator, B the usual carburetor, and C the super-heater, ot a water-gas appara tus, all connected and operating in the usual l, A indicates thek 16, 1925. Serial No. 9,630.

manner. As is the'common practice, a blast .main D provides a supply of air .under pressure for blowing theA generator. and carburetor, a branch D leading to the bottom of the generator and a branch D2 to the top ot' the carburetor. Valves or gates E and E2 for controlling `the low, are provided in theseV branches, and a similar valve .or gate F ris provided in the back run gas conduit G leading from the olf-take pipe Hl at the top ot' the super-heater C', which otalre leads to the usualwater seal I` from whic the gas is led to 'the gas holder V(not shown) through the main J. A cap K torclosing an outlet at the top ot the super-heater is i opened and closed in proper timed relation to the cycle ot operation of the apparatus by means cfa pivoted Varm K which is operated by a piston rod K2 connected to a .piston within a cylinder L,...and a butterfly Yvalve M in the olf-take H serves tof close this off-take. and prevent back-run steam from going directly into thewash box or water seal I during the back-run period of operation. Oil issupplied to the top ot' theV` carburetor B in the usual manner, through a supply pipe N and the ilow through this pipe is'controlled by a valvel NT.

Avr steam supply pipe O has a branch O' which leads to a blower (not shown) for supplying air to the main blast pipe D and in this branch is a valve O2 for controlling the operation .of the blovv'er. vA second branch pipe O3 leads to the o-talie H of the super-heater C t'or supplying steam thereto vin the usualfmanner and a valve O4 controls the admission ot steam to this branch and also to a branch G5 leading-'to the bottom ot the generator A for supplying steam to the generator during the gas making period. Ste-ain supply to both branches()3 and Ois controlled by a.' valve O in the main supply pipe O. All ot the above described parts of' a water-'gas gener-ating apparatus and the are rangement and operation thereot` are old and well known, and form no part ot the present invention, vsuch.y apparatus being shown merely for the Ypurpose of illustrating an application of the present invention to gas generating apparatus embodying gates or valves loperated periodically in certain timed relation, it beingunderstood that the present invention` which relates to means for opeating one or more valves or gates,

lla

system, `and comprises a cylinder l adjacent each `valve to be operated, `and in Which cylinder is a piston 2 (as shown in Fig. 2) lwhich 'piston is directly connected to the valve in 4anyfsuitable manner, as by a piston rodB toopenior close the 4valve upon movement of the piston in its cylinder. 'llo reciprocate each piston 2 in its cylinder and lopen'or close the-particular Yvalve connected thereto, fluid, preferably Water, is admitted i'to or discharged from each end of the c yl-.

inder at each side ot Athe piston therein,

.througlipipes :4L-and 5, the introduction of vfluid into each cvlinderthrough thepipe 4 serving to move the piston in a direction -to openfthe valve, and the valve'being closed Yb y theraction of fluid entering through the -pipef These two pipes l and 5 supplying iluid to each operating cylinder l are ei:- Itended to `any desired distant point and there each is connected to a separate fluid `chamber of'greater cubic capacity'than the cubic'capacity of the operating cylinder l, preferably of `about one-third greater capaciity, the pipe #l being preferably connected tothe lower end ofa chamber t), and the pipe to the bottom of Va separate chamber V7. i@ne of these pipes therefore forms a passage for fluid from one end of the valve operating 'cylinder l to which it is connected :at one side of the piston 2 ther-ein, to one ofthe fluid chambers` and the other pipe forms la .passage from the opposite end of the operating cylinder to the other of said chambers, said pipes together With this cylinder and chambers forming a lclosed fluid circuit Within which the Water may be forced back and forth from one chamber to the other, to lreciprocate the .piston 2 in its cylinderand open or close the particular valve connectedi thereto.

Steam at substantially full boiler pressure is utilized to operate each valve or gate, by -a'd-mittingstea'm to the upper end of each of tlie chanfibeis 6 and 7,:tlirough separate Lsteampipes 8 and '9, which steampipes lead to a lrevel-sing:valve commonto both pipes. lllhenthis valvecontrolmechanism is applied to ya gas lgenerating apparatus embodying lav-numberof valves or gates to be operated in a certain timed relation, as illus* trated in `Fig. 1,'the. several fluid chambers '6 and 7, 'are preferably located adjacent a vcentralicontrol stand (not shown) upon which are mounted the several steam'reversing valves lO, ll, l2, 13 and 14 forcontrolling` separately, the admissionof steam to the several pairs of fluid chambers 6 and 7. lf desirable, any suitable mechanism (not shown) may be provided f r operating these several steam control reve "sing valves in the proper sequence and direction to open and close the several ,gates or valves of the'gas generating apparatus according to the desired cycle of operation of such apparatus, and preferably, a header l5 directly connect-ed to the steam supply pipe 0 will be provided adjacent such reversing valves, to supply steam to these valves, and an eX- liaust header ltlis also provided for fthe several valves. These headers and nest of steam reversing valv-esat the control stand, may be located Wherever foundV desirable, but preferably at a point adjacent the ap paratus Where the steam leads will be short so that substantially full boiler pressure Will be maintained at the header l5, and as the several pairs of fluid chambers 6 and 7 will preferably be located near the 4header 15, With short pipes 8 and 9 containing the several reversing valves, connecting said header and chambers, steam at substantially full boiler pressure Will be admitted to ythese chambers to exert a pressure upon the Water therein and force the Water from the .particular chamber into which steam is admitted, and throughthe pipe l or 5 into the operating cylinder l to exert a direct push upon the piston 2 therein to move said piston, which movement Will force the Water in the cylinder at the lopposite side of the piston out of the cylinder and through the other pipe into the other chamber of the pair.

By thus combining steainand hydraulic operating means, a great saving in steam is effected, as the only loss is the small exhaust from the chambers 6, 7, and through condensation therein, and a further saving is eifectefl by this use of water as the medium of transmitting power to operate the sev- .ral valves, as no Water is discharged but is confined within the system, being simply forced from one chamber into the other of eachpair oi' chambers, the supply of .Water on eacl circuit being maintained by steam condensation. Vliere is also a decided adif'antago in this arrangement over the usual hydraulic control in that no pump or other means is required to maintain .a constant supply of Water underpressure, and Vcost of maintenance, operation and installation is greatly reduced.

`ln Fi l of the drawings, the application of the present conti-ol system to a Waterfgas generating apparatus of the `usual'construe` tion and arrangement, is diagrammatically shown, the valve O2 for controlling the operation of the blower for supplying air unlll der pressure to thejblast main D, beingoperated through 'the' medium of the hydraulic cylinder 1 adjacent thereto and its pipe connections 4, 5 with a pair of fluid chambers 6, 7 into Which chambers steam is admitted Yby the reversing valve 10, the particular chamber into Which the steam' is admitted,

determining the movementV of the valveOZ, vas for instance, il`steam be admitted tothe chamber 6, water -will beforced therefrom branches O3 and O5, and the Valve E con.-

trolling the blast into the bottom o the generator, and the valve E2 'controlling the blast into the top ofthe carburetor arecontrolled by the reversing valve 12.v rlhe revers-v ing Valve'13 in a like manner controls the 0peration oic the cap K and simultaneously opens or closes the valve OG controlling the supply oi steam to the bottom of the generator and to the off-take rorrrthe superheater through the branches-O3 andO5, and the valve N is openedor closed toregulate the admission of oil into the top ot the can y buretor, by the operation of the reversing valve 14. By properlyarranging the several reversing valves, they may be readily manipulated to give the proper cycle of operation of the entire'apparatus, and such arrangemeiit Vmay be varied to suit the paricular apparatus and the desired order and timed relation of operation.V of the several valves ot .such apparatus. A niodilication in the construction of apf params 'for operating eachv Valve or gate,

shown in Fig. 3 andthis modificationl consists in connecting in` the system ais'econd chamber to each chamber kof the pair of chambers 6 and 7 for operating each valve, so that the liquid contained in the system will he i'f'orced by thesteam pressure Vfrom one chamber into its connected chamber and troni this chamber into the valve operating cylinder to operate the piston therein.

In the system previously described, there may be some leakageot Water past thep'iston 2 in the cylinder land as lthis piston is operated by water, there may be some corrosion and consequent sticking of the piston. To obviate these possible. sources ot trouble, a liquid which is ot' less specific gravity than Water, such as oil or the like, may he employed as medium for operating thepiston Q, and this medium being of less specific gravity than Water, will float upon, rise to the top or maintain an advanced posation in the direction of movement of the liquid toward and into the cylinder 1 relative to the Water which forms a part of the liquid for operating the piston 2, 'which Water may be Wholly or partially the 'Water ot condensation of the Steam admitted to the chambers 6 and 7 for forcing the liquid therei'ron'i to operate the valve." i

By providing achamber 17, preferably adjacent the chamber 6' and of substantially equal or greater cubic capacity vthan the cylinder 1 and connecting the top of this Vchamier vto oneend olI the' cylinder bythe pipe t and the bottom of the chamber to the bottom of the chamber 6 by a connecting passagel 19, aV body of' oil may be maintained in this ong-amber v17' and'pipe 4, this oil because of its specific gravity, floating upon. or ahead oi' the Water conta-ined in the chamber 6. This Water and oil will not mix due to the fact that the liquid of greatest specilic 'gravity (the Water) is below or at the rear oi' the liquid ol?y lesser specific gravity;(oil) in the direction of movement of the liquid into the cylinder; This bodyot oil'thus not onlyA becomes theV medium through which power applied to -operate'the valvejbut also serves tolubricate the cylinder and piston, preventing the piston.

lnconnection with the chamber 7, a simi-` lar chamber 1S is employed in a like man;A ner, and as the volume .oiloil carried in each chamber 1T and 18 and connecting pipes and 5 is vsuiiicient to completely till the cylinder 1, no water ever enters thecylinder, but this oil is forced into and out of the cylinder by the water contained in the chamhk ber t3V and 7 when the steam` pressure iis turnedon tothe top ont' these Water columns to toire the `water downivardin the 'chainbers and out into Vthe bottom ol they adjacent chamber 1T andlS, forcing vthe oil out o`f the latter chainbers ahead ol it, the oil, because o? its speciic'gravity ridingupon the Water and notnliriug therewith. Leakage past the vpiston 1 is'ln'evented by the use ot oil or similar liquid and corrosion prevented, and no less ot oil is sustained due to the tact that it is simply lorced-back and forth 'from the cylinder into one or the other oi: the chambers 17 and 18 and from the chainbers into the cylinder.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim is y -1. 'In a gas apparatus havingla shut-oil for controlling theflow ot ihiid, means for operating said shut-oil"y including a cylinder having a piston therein operatively connected to said shut-ofi' for operating the same, separate liquid chambers located at a vpoint distant from said cylinder andv in separate open communication with opposite ends of said cylinder and each of a greater cubic capacity than the cubic capacity ot said cylinder, each chamber to receive liquid from and to discharge liquid into one end of said cylinder, said cylinder being lilled with corrosion and sticking of liquid and said chambers being partially filled wi-th liquid, means for supplying steam under pressure to said chambers above the liquid therein, and means for controlling the flow of steam to said chambers.

2. In a gas apparatus having a shut-off for controlling the flow of fluid, means for operating said shut-oli including a cylinder for liquid, a piston in said cylinder operatively connected to saidv shut-off for operating the same, a liquid chamber located at a point distant from said cylinder and -in constant open communication with said cylinder at one side of the piston therein7 a second liquid chamber located at a point distant from said cylinder and in constant open coinmunication with the cylinder at the opposite side of the said piston therein, said cylinderv being lled with a liquid and said chambers being-partially filled with liquid the cubic capacity of each of said chambers being greater than the cubic capacity of said cylinder, whereby the movement of said piston in said cylinder in one direction will force the liquid from said cylinder into one of said chambers and movement of said piston in an opposite direction will force the liquid from said cylinder into the other of said chambers, the space in each chamber above the liquid therein being adapted to receive steam under pressure for forcing the liquid from said chamber into the cylinder, and means for controlling the admission of steam into said chambers.

3. In combination with apparatus for the generation or distribution of gas and including shut-ellis for controlling the flow of fluid in such apparatus, of means for operating each of' said shut-oifs including a cylinder. a piston in said cylinder operatively connected to the shut-oft to operate the same, a pair of water containing chambers for each cylinder located at a point distance therefrom, a water pipe connecting the bottom of each chamber with an end of said cylinder, said pipes being connected to opposite ends of said cylinder and said cylinder and pipes being filled with water, means for supplying steam under pressure separately to each chamber, and means for controlling the flow of steam to said chambers.

4. In a gas apparatus including a plurality of valves for controlling the cycle of operation of said apparatus, of means for operating said valves and controlling the cycle o'foperation of said apparatus, said means including a cylinder adjacent each valve to be operated, a piston in said cyli-nder operatively connected to the valve to be operated thereby, a p ipe leading from each end of each cylinder, a pai-r of chambers located at a point distant from said cylinder with one of said pipes connecting the lower end of one of the chambers of the pair with one end of the cylinder and the other pipe connecting the lower end of the other chamber of the pair with the opposite end of the cylinder, said pipes providing free open communication between said chambers and the ends of the cylinder and said chambers being partially filled and saidl cylinder and pipes being filled with water,the cubic capacity of said chambers each being greater than the cubic capacity of' the cylinder communicating therewith to provide a steam space above the water in said chambers, steam pipes opening into the upper ends of the chambers of each pai-r, and means for controlling the flow of steam through said steaml pipes to each pair of chambers, said steam controlling means andy chambers being in proximity to each other.

5. In a gas apparatus having a shut-off for controlling the flow 0f fluid, means for operating said shut-oli1 including a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder operatively connected to said shut-off'to operate the same, a pair of vertically arranged chambers connected at their lower ends for the free flow of liquid from one to the other of said chambers, one ofV said chambers being connected at its upper end to one end of said cylinder to deliver liquid to and receive liquid from said cylinder, a second pair of vertically arranged chambers connected at their lower ends for free flow of liquidpfrom one to the other of said chambers, one of the chambers of the pair being connected to the end of the cylinder opposite that to which the first mentioned chambers are connected to deliv er liquid to and' receive liquid from the cylinder, means for deliverino` einem under pressure to the upper end of the chamber of each pair of chambers which is connected at its lower end to the other chamber of the pair and through said other chamber tothe cylinder, and means for controlling the flow of steam' through said delivery means.

In testimony whereof I aliiX my signature.

GEO. R. STEERE, 

